


Untended Embers

by CelticPhoenixProductions



Series: Souls Beyond Time [8]
Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Arguing, Bickering, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Forgiveness, Friendship, Past Relationship(s), Reconciliation, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-31 01:52:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8558581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticPhoenixProductions/pseuds/CelticPhoenixProductions
Summary: Distance and time tend to heal old wounds, but the flesh is always left marred. To pick at these marks can cause relief and pain in equal measure; a masochistic pleasure to those seeking recovery. Sometimes it is that which is most abrasive to us that brings the smiles back to our faces. [Real World AU] "Souls Beyond Time - Part 8"





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Installment eight of 'Souls Beyond Time'!
> 
> If you can read the tags, you know we have a fan favorite finally making her long awaited return since her original debut in this series way back in "Spark"! This will hopefully answer more of the questions plaguing the (rather small) fanbase surrounding this series, and if it doesn't, it means I'm doing a terrible job!
> 
> … Wait, I don't think that was supposed to be a positive…
> 
> Also, totally surprised at the lack of comment on the whole 'tampon' thing in the last chapter. Never figured it'd just go unnoted… I mean, hell, the song I found for it, which still fit the scene, was called goddamned 'Tampopo', that's weird, isn't it?
> 
> Bah. Anyway, let's get to what we're really looking forward too; a frazzled blueberry formally meeting a sour apple for the first time in her life. I've been wanting to write this meeting for ages, and I'm so happy to finally have it done!

Suggested Listening: "命の重み", _Psycho-Pass OST (Disk 2, Track 3)_

O/o\O

_Untended Embers_

" _So you're sure you'll be back by dinner?_ "

Kyoko sighed, itching the underside of her nose, "Yes, Yuma. I've only told you a dozen times that it's just an hour-long train ride. Maybe if you stop asking me obvious questions I'll be nice enough to pick you up one of those fruit cakes you like so much…"

" _I thought you said we only had enough for the bare necessities tonight! Besides, you'd probably just end up eating most of it like you usually do…_ " the voice replied indignantly.

The redhead scowled, "I do not! And I'm feeling generous tonight so I'm going to try and scrounge up some extra change before I go home. You gotta problem with that, twerp?"

" _N-no! I just… well…_ " the girl on the other end stuttered, her voice falling away.

Kyoko gripped the bridge of her nose, "We're not in the worst spot, Yuma. We'll… be fine."

"… _You hesitated…_ "

The hothead smiled, wry against the receiver, "You really gotta be less observant. I'll be home tonight. Tell your Auntie that I've got the groceries covered for today. Heck, I'm even tempted to cook for you two."

There was a small _humpf_ from the other end of the line before, " _It better be something good!_ "

"It'll probably just be curry," Kyoko sighed sardonically.

" _But curry_ is _good!_ "

"Well, yeah, but it isn't exactly rocket science to make it…"

" _You're making it, so it has to be good!_ "

"…Aren't you thinking a little backwards here? Demand I make something good, then say anything I make is good?"

" _I… Just… Get home soon, alright!_ "

"Alright, alright you little weasel…" Kyoko grinned, a single uncorrected canine popping out over her lower lip.

" _I love you, big sis!_ "

The redhead paused, smile slacking. With her eyes somewhat distant, she responded, "I love you two, twerp. See you tonight." With that she hung up the desk phone, sliding it back over to the receptionist, giving a polite "thanks" before walking off down the hall.

_Big sis, huh?_

Yuma certainly had a penchant for making Kyoko feel conflicted. On one hand, hearing the younger girl refer to her so affectionately was heartwarming. On the other, taking pride in the title felt more than a little like betrayal.

Shelving the thought, she focused on what she was here to do; tackle an equally uncomfortable part of her past.

Her target was on the sixth floor, somewhere near the middle of the hall, which was kinda hard to distinguish given the abstract architecture that made the passage appear to go on forever.

"This better be worth the fuss…" Kyoko muttered under her breath, shifting her head side-to-side to readjust the position of her busy ponytail. She felt out of place among the stark white walls and finely polished windows, what with her ratty green hoodie and denim cut-offs. Then again, decorum was never really her thing. It always felt like just another layer of superficial grime to pick at before reality could be reached.

The redhead's eyes lingered on the walls, skimming from door number to door number, "Six-oh-eight, six-oh-nine, six-ten, six-oomph!"

She reeled back, hearing a mirrored 'oomph' come from whoever she'd run into.

"Ahk, watch it, will ya!"

Kyoko rubbed her shoulder, turning to meet some of the shiniest blue eyes she'd ever seen in her life. Sad, then, that those eyes were drawn with a very pronounced ire, one that was pointed right at the athletic girl. Kyoko had already considered apologizing; it had been an honest mistake, and the bluenette, from what she could observe, was as equally unharmed as she was. But the way the taller girl was glaring at the redhead sent off a number of alarms in Kyoko's head. So, instead of voicing some form of apology or kindness, she opted for a more… aggressive response.

"'Watch it?' I wouldn't have to 'watch it' if you weren't standing in the middle of the hallway!" the redhead flared, eyebrows narrowing.

"Why not?" the girl motioned to the floor with both hands, "Not like the floor's goin' anywhere. Look'it all the space you had to walk around me!"

"Hallways are for walking, dumbass, not for standing. If you're gonna stare off into space, do it where you won't get run over," Kyoko shot back, not letting up an inch.

The girl bristled, the air shifting between them. What had been a momentary spat had begun to evolve into something more intensive.

"Maybe _you_ should be more aware of your surroundings, asshole! It's not too hard to weave around a stationary object. If you hit a traffic cone, would you blame the cone?" the blunette snapped, ending her argument on a baffling note.

Kyoko wasn't taking any of that, "You ain't no traffic cone, and those cones do their damn jobs. What the fuck you think you're doing standing out here doin' nothing?"

The girl placed fingers over her cheeks, feigning confusion, "Gosh, I don't know, maybe there's a reason I'm _at the hospital_ and it's on my mind." The blunette dropped the act and gave her opposition a rather dry and unimpressed stare.

"Well, while you're so busy having a moment, people trying to get shit done," Kyoko snarled. She glanced up, realizing she'd ended up beyond the room she was looking for, 612. She started towards it. "Now, if you excuse me," she bit, putting her hand on the door, "I've got someone I need to see."

To her surprise, a rough hand gripped her arm, preventing her from opening the sliding barrier.

"…Where the fuck do you think you're going?"

It was the blunette again, but something was different. Her voice didn't carry the same confrontational edge it had moments ago. This voice sounded cold, passionless. And it sent a chill up Kyoko's spine.

She batted away the hand turning to face the girl, "Goin' to talk to someone. Look, I don't want this beef, so let it drop, will ya?"

Those eyes were caught again, but this time they were empty, just as fireless as her voice. It honestly made Kyoko more than a little woozy.

"Who did you come to see?" the blunette growled.

Kyoko took a reflexive step back, her stance widening at the increased threat lingering in the air, "None of yer damn business!"

"Bullshit it's not; I got a friend in there that doesn't need some bitch like you around. Who the hell did you come to see?"

There was a moment of pause as the blunette's words rolled over her, the combination of terms sliding gently under her skin _just_ enough to irritate her… The stray thought passed through her head, the thought that maybe Mami wouldn't want her around, a thought that she'd believe buried years ago.

Years of regret and longing. Like hell was some stuck-up school girl going to get in her way.

"Back off, Blue Balls, I'm warning you. This is the first chance I've gotten in years to see Mami, and you're not going to stop me from seeing her!" Kyoko hissed, reaching once more for the handle.

"What would Mami want with someone as obnoxious as you?" the other girl balked, her eyes regaining some of the earlier intensity. That, oddly enough, put Kyoko more at ease. Fire she was familiar with; fire she could deal with.

"To get my sympathies, I heard she got pretty messed up in a car crash so I thought she might want company!"

"I've known her for two years and I've never seen you; if you're such a dedicated friend, where _were_ you when the crash happened?" the blunette spat.

That particular comment caught Kyoko off guard. Yes, it enraged her; it enraged her _quite_ a lot. However, if there was one thing she knew about dealing with shit on the streets was that this chick was projecting, big time.

"I never said I was 'such a good friend'. I'm probably a pretty shitty one at this point," Kyoko shot back, poking the other girl in the chest, "I'm here now, that's all that should matter. If it's really so important, where the fuck were _you_ when shit hit the fan, huh?"

The blunette staggered backwards, momentarily at a loss for words. For the first time since they'd met, she saw fear and confusion in the other woman's gaze, fear and confusion that swirled together into outright rage.

"I… I…" the girl choked. She began to tremble, "I've been at her side this whole time… Even Madoka… You're right, you're a shit friend!"

"Well it don't sound like you're exactly a ray of sunshine either, Papa Smurf," Kyoko huffed, pushing the girl aside to get to the door.

She was certainly prepared this time for the blunette to get in her way, only to be further surprised when she was grabbed by the shoulders and slammed against the wall.

"Who said I was done with you?" the taller girl snarled.

Kyoko locked her jaw and readied to kick her leg up into the girl's jaw, only for a third, familiar voice to ring out.

"Sayaka, stop!"

The hands around Kyoko's shoulder weakened and she wasted no time in flinging the other girl, this 'Sayaka', off.

The readhead looked over to find a short pinkette with her hair tied up in a ponytail by a single yellow ribbon.

Sayaka, for her part, huffed and breathed, obviously still running off the adrenaline of rage, before shaking her head and stomping down the hall.

"I'm going to get some air. Find me when you're done, Madoka," Sayaka seethed, vanishing down the passage.

Kyoko watched the girl go, a weight settling into her stomach. She really must have scratched at something she shouldn't have. On one hand, she wasn't especially proud having done that. On the other, she had a gift for picking scabs, both real and figurative, and that talent wasn't something she was keen letting go to waste either.

"I'm sorry about that…" stuttered the shorter girl, her head ducking to hide pinked cheeks.

Kyoko kept her grimace on, looking down at this shivering girl with some veiled disdain, but after a moment that fire dissipated, having been sucked down the hall with the blunette.

"It's fine. Girl's got a few crabs up her ass, though," Kyoko huffed, leaning against the wall. "You the girl that called me?"

"Sayaka… she's going through a lot right now. Mami and I were trying to help her when all of this happened… She's feeling responsible for the crash," Madoka sighed. "And yes, I was the one who called you. It's… uh… nice to finally meet you Kyoko."

The pinkette's face was trapped in a plaster of false optimism, a mask that was strained by underlying stress. The redhead sighed to let off more of the earlier tension, hoping to drain some away from the other girl as well. It seemed to work.

"Yeah, well, she didn't need to take it out on me… Did she though?" she asked, waving her off-hand passively.

Madoka hopped in place, her cheeks puffing just a bit and her hands gripping at her collar protectively, "What? No, never! S-Sayaka wouldn't… She…" The small girl trailed off, head listing to the side, "I did… I'm the one who made this all happen. I'm sure of it…"

Fury scalded through Kyoko's blood, but she reeled it in just enough to see the absolute agony wracking the pinkette's face. It by no means cooled the fire in her veins, but it certainly did quite a lot to temper her words. Kyoko had been through counseling, she was at least somewhat aware of her anger issues, and while she felt no remorse going off on someone with their head in their ass she knew that snapping at the sullen girl wouldn't get either of them anywhere.

"L-look…" the redhead stuttered, scratching just below her ponytail's base, "From the way you said it on the phone it doesn't really sound like you or frostbite over there are actually responsible… I was just blowing off steam, I don't really think… yeah…"

The words were difficult to force out, mouth drying as she spoke.

"But… you don't understand," Madoka deflated, sinking more into herself.

Kyoko shook her head, "No, I really don't. Why did you call me? Why ask me to come here? If you know who I am, you've gotta know she really wouldn't want to see me. She'd probably rather see her regular friends over me…"

"N-no!" Madoka spluttered, stepping forward. Kyoko actually took a step back to avoid the projectile spittle that flung her way. The pinkette blushed and muttered a weak apology before continuing, "Right now she needs someone who isn't… us… You were the only person I could think of so I dug up your number from her old phone…"

The redhead raised a brow, "Did you ask her if that was okay?"

The smaller girl squirmed where she stood, fingers playing at the hem of her pink dress, "She doesn't know you're coming…"

Looking to the door, the athlete couldn't help but shake her head again. "After that little spat? Like hell she doesn't realize who's standing out here," Kyoko grinned, if only a little.

Madoka gave a light chuckle, scratching her reddened cheek, "Well, I mean, you _weren't_ exactly subtle…"

"Well hey, your friend got on my nerves. Tell her to stop standing in the middle of hallways the next time you see her," Kyoko laughed, turning to face the door. With her hand in the handle, she looked at the girl, "Wanna come in with me? Might be less of a shock for Mami…"

"Uh… no, I-I can't… Sayaka and I were just leaving," Madoka squeaked, her joy draining away.

Kyoko shrugged, "Well, then I guess it was nice meeting you then, pinkie. See ya around I'spose… And… thanks for calling me about this… It must have been a pain to track me down from that old number…"

Madoka gave a weary smile, "I just want to make sure Mami's happy again with me gone… It was nice meeting you too, Miss Sakura. I hope you have a nice visit…"

With that the pinkette gave a short, polite bow before shuffling off after her friend, a noticeable, depressed lag in her step.

Kyoko turned to face the door, listening to the light footsteps fade down the hall. She sucked in a deep breath, scrapping at the well of her experience before turning to the retreating form.

"Hey, piglet!"

Madoka turned and pointed to herself, "…'Piglet'?"

The redhead's face was calm, even, and serious, "Don't blame yourself, okay? I'm sure it was an accident. Mami's a good judge of character, so you and your friend Sayaka back there need to stop beating yourselves up over it… Else… you're not going to come back from that place sane." Her voice trailed off, painful memories boiling back to the surface, memories she succinctly squelched.

The pinkette nodded, mouth still open. Kyoko could tell that the message hadn't quite arrived at the station in the girl's head yet, and didn't know if it would at all. Yeah she was a prick, but damned if she wasn't going to at least make a token effort to help. Madoka swiveled before continuing down the hall, waving briefly with a morose smile. Kyoko snarled before breathing, composing herself, and opening the door.

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Kage ga Yuku", _Read or Die the TV OST_

O/o\O

"I… never thought I'd see you again."

Kyoko winced as that voice trickled past her ear, one that she herself wasn't exactly prepared to listen to. She was facing the door, having closed it and buried her eyes in the frame so as to avoid seeing the source of her guilt.

"To be fair, I didn't think I'd be seeing you again, either…" the rehead hacked, finally turning around.

The room was as stark as the hall, the only accenting color being the blue curtains encircling the beds for the sake of privacy. Mami's golden locks, downed and smoothed, stood in stark contrast to the blanched materials. Honey irises dug at her heartstrings, prompting Kyoko to bypass the only other occupant of the room, an unconscious woman in the first bed. Her eyes lingered on the motionless form, only for the golden girl to interject.

"She probably won't bother us… actually it'd be great news if she woke up," Mami explained, her voice filled with a levity that never really managed to push past her face. Maybe it was harder for her, considering the rather bulky neck brace around her collar.

"I…" Kyoko started, standing awkwardly by the blonde's beside, "I… The minute that I heard you were here…" Mami gave her a warm grin, strained as it was, and motioned for the redhead to sit down, which she gladly obliged. "I-I would have tried bringing one of those little pies you liked from that one bakery, but they were always so expensive there…"

Mami chuckled, though the sound was hoarse, "Its fine. I work there now, believe it or not. I can make those little pies any time I feel like it."

"Lucky you, I'd kill to know how to make those things," Kyoko sighed, leaning back against the chair. The mood was starting to shift. This felt natural, smooth. There had been lingering fear that maybe the divide between the two was too wide to cross, but already it felt like things had returned to normal. "Well, that and all the ingredients to make them. It's hard enough affording curry these days, y'know?"

The blonde stifled another laugh, hacking up a few coughs in the process, "It's a double-edge sword, you know? When I first started working there all I did at home was make sweets. Madoka and I almost blew up like balloons…"

The name hung in the air and suddenly the mood began to drag.

"Madoka?" Kyoko breathed, not just feeling the name but _tasting_ it. "Is… Is she the one you're… That pink girl…?"

Mami frowned, folding her hands, "We… well… Right now things are a little confusing between us both… and Sayaka, and that just makes the situation all the more unsettling."

The news sent needles into Kyoko's heart, but hearing the distress wafting off Mami's voice pushed her to approach from a more lighthearted angle, "Yeah, well, she seems pretty sweet. I could see why you like her… And if you two really were bloating up like that I think calling her piglet might have been the right move…"

"'Piglet'… what?"

Kyoko snickered, ignoring the dull thump in her chest that was becoming increasingly painful, "Yeah, well, can't you see it? The big ol' eyes and that small little nose and the way she walks around? I could totally see her with two little floppy ears and a curly-q tail."

Mami balked at the redhead, slowly shaking her head as best she could, laughing, "You haven't changed a bit, Kyoko…"

Her chest constricted again, desperately trying to drag attention to itself again and again. Kyoko pursed her lips as she looked to the ground, the feeling welling in her stomach making her almost queasy.

She looked to the door, then to the unconscious woman, the to the amused but still rather demure Mami. Kyoko squeezed her eyes shut and sucked in a breath, letting the icy air spill into her lungs.

"I… I really missed you Mami…" the girl finally squeaked. Her voice cracked and before she'd finished the sentence she felt warm trails speeding down her cheeks.

All was quiet as she finally gathered the nerve to look her ex-girlfriend in the eye.

What she found were sun-dipped orbs shaking with moisture.

"I missed you too, Kyoko," Mami croaked back. This time her smile was a little more genuine, a little more firm.

And that was the very smile she'd waited three years to see one more time.

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Cosmos", _Yuki Yuna is a Hero OST_

O/o\O

"…So the three of you were…?" Kyoko trailed, her voice laced with unease.

"Y-yeah… None of us were really sure about it, and now I don't think it's going to ever really… _happen_ , but that was the plan," Mami winced.

Kyoko leaned back, munching on a stick of pocky before waving it in Mami's face, "Y'all motherfuckers need Jesus. That's some nasty heathen shit you had goin' on. Probably why you got all banged up like that…"

Whether the statement was made in jest or not, the flat delivery was definitely intentionally comical, which caused the blonde to burst out laughing. At least, that was, until it devolved into pained coughs. Kyoko quickly rushed some water to the older girl's side.

Mami sipped at the liquid, replying, "Are you really sure you want to be the moral high-ground here considering what _we_ did in that broom closet back at the chapel?"

The redhead matched her hair and shook the rather _distracting_ memories away, "We agreed that _didn't_ happen, okay?"

"Sorry," the blonde grinned teasingly, "but it's kinda hard to forget the 'Sister Koko and her Heavenly Fingers' routine."

The athlete looked aside, letting the memory wash passed her instead of allowing it to simmer and heat her face further. "In all seriousness, though," Kyoko leveled, resting her chin on her knuckles, "It might have been a bit weird but I'm glad you found someone… or someones…? who make you happy."

Mami frowned, "I supposed I _should_ be grateful, but Madoka's refused to come in and see me for the last couple of days… since she told me her decision. And things are actually pretty awkward with Sayaka around, since our relationship was left in a kind of grey area…"

"Hey, don't be too disappointed with piglet, okay?" Kyoko remarked, rubbing her nose with an index finger. "She called me up, didn't she? She's tryin' for ya; I've only met her once so far and even I can tell ya that."

"I suppose…" Mami muttered, listing her head to the side.

"Can't say the same about that Sayaka chick, though. Really seems like someone shoved a stick up her ass…" the redhead huffed, crossing her arms.

"She's been through a lot, Kyoko," Mami frowned, "Seeing me hurt might be really hurting her too…"

"Yeah, well, she's also blamin' herself for what happened; at least I _think_ that's what's goin' on. Both of them are, but I've lived through this _and_ quite a lot of shit; her being up on her high horse and all justified was just bullshit."

"Everyone's entitled to their own sorrows, Kyoko…" Mami sighed. "Speaking of which… How is your family doing?"

The redhead sighed, feeling those needles return to her chest. This was a conversation she'd known would be coming the minute she stepped through that door.

"Mom's… not doing too well. She's in a psychiatric ward after what happened. Dad's locked up in jail, though he got a reduced sentence due to a temporary insanity plea." Kyoko dug finger into her calves; the last one was the hardest one to croak out, "Momo and I were put into protective services, but we ended up getting split. I still talk to her on the phone, but I haven't seen her in years…"

Mami reacted by closing her eyes and downing her chin (as much as she could with that plastic nightmare on her shoulders), letting out a sound of bitter acknowledgement.

"What about yourself?" the older girl asked.

Kyoko scratched at her neck, "I got picked up by a couple after about two months; a month after Momo got adopted. Turns out they were crocks of shit who just adopted me for some tax breaks; barely took care of their own daughter… So, me an' her have been livin' out at her aunt's till my mom gets out of the hospital. Money's a little tight between the three of us, and her aunt isn't exactly the picture of health right now, but we're livin'…"

"That… doesn't exactly sound comfortable…" Mami frowned, "Is there something I can do to help you guys out?"

"Well… I mean… If you're offering…" Kyoko sighed, rolling her head, "Maybe you could work up some dinners and come over once a week when you get out of here… Y'know, like old times…?"

The end of the sentence trailed off, almost enough to ward off the implication at the end. But that ward wasn't quite enough.

"I… I'd be happy to cook for you guys, Kyoko… but are you…?" Mami asked, brows knitting.

Kyoko was quiet for a moment, eyes shadowed by her bangs. Then she responded.

"N-no," came the simplified yet painful response. "I… I don't think either of us are really in a position right now to be thinkin' about something like that… And… Honestly…" Kyoko curled in on herself just a bit, "Even though I know it's not true, that it's just a lie, that I'm just angry at myself… I still kinda… I mean a part of me still kinda blames you for what happened. A small part… but even now it's been pissin' me off." To emphasize the point she picked at some earwax with her pinky. "N-Not you, I mean. The feeling. It's frustrating to know that it's in there and I can't do anything to get rid of it. I don't know if it'll ever go away…"

"I... see…" Mami exhaled. And then she smiled; hurt, but genuine, "You've really matured in the last three years, you know that, Miss Sakura…"

Kyoko rolled her eyes and leaned back in the chair, "Hey now, don't go using formalities like that again. Keep it to 'Kyoko', kay?" The redhead rolled forward again, looking at Mami with a sympathetic smile, "I didn't hurt you saying all of that, did I?"

Mami shook her head, "I'm not going to lie, it does hurt, but I don't blame you. It's not easy to change how you feel. And I agree, I don't think it'd work out between us… too much baggage." She leaned back into her pillow, sighing.

"If that's the case, then why were you even considering a relationship with baby blue back there?" Kyoko hacked, throwing her thumb towards the door.

Now it was Mami's turn to roll her eyes, "Sayaka's a good girl, and yes, she _does_ have some baggage, but it's… different than yours. She's really been through some tough times recently… I bet she still is." Mami was quiet a moment, "Kyoko, the next time you see Sayaka, try to be nice, okay? No more shouting matches in hospital hallways?"

"Heh… Y'know, the more I think about it, I'm wondering why a nurse didn't try to kick us out…" Kyoko mused, itching her brow.

"Am I clear though? Try to make up with her. She's a sweet girl, just… more than a little on edge," the blonde pushed, laying down her stance in no uncertain terms. "I'm sure if you guys hung out you could wind up being friends. I think you two would really get along on a good day…"

The redhead scoffed, "Ch'yeah, a 'good day'…" There was silence, Kyoko slowly recognizing the rather adamant glare digging into her temples. She blushed and ducked her head, "Okay, okay, I'll… I'll try." She popped her head up and waved a fresh stick of pocky in Mami's face, "But if she really is a pompous bitch, then I make no promises tryin' is gonna end pretty, got it?"

Mami sighed and closed her eyes, "I suppose that's the best I can ask for." The chef looked to the clock, frowning, "Visiting hours are almost up. Are you going to be safe walking home alone?"

"'Course I will. Don't gotta mean left hook for looks," the athlete grinned, her misshapen fang popping over her lower lip. She paused mid action pose, Yuma's face flashing into her vision. Kyoko twisted her jaw, figuring there was no harm in asking. "Hey Mami, do you have your wallet here by chance?"

"I… do? Why?" the blonde asked back.

"…Could I borrow some yen?"


	2. Part 2

Suggested Listening: "Baked Words", _Code Geass OST_

O/o\O

"And what exactly are _you_ doing here?"

Kyoko looked up from her CD player, the perfect position for her worn pair of headphones disrupting partway through, causing the song's left channel to go dead. She cursed against her lip at the ratty technology and stuffed the relic further into the pockets of her hoodie. A red hoodie, this time, she was proud to say. It was rare for Kyoko to actually bother swapping out clothes when they didn't need washing, but she figured the blunette glaring at her from just down the path already had enough reasons to spite her, she didn't need to add 'poor hygiene' to that list… regardless of the fact that it'd be an accurate assumption.

The redhead stepped forward onto the cobblestone path, kicking off the tree and twisting to face the blunette in one swell foop.

"Thought I'd teach you proper loitering protocol. Y'get arrested if you don't know how to do it right, y'know…" Kyoko grinned, letting her disfigured fang pop free. "You'll note I was out of the main path and firmly supported by the nearest tree."

Sayaka tightened her glare, her brows becoming more and more wrinkled, "…Wanna bitch me out for something stupid? Is that all you came for? Because the only currency this complaint department is dealing in at the moment is fists…"

The redhead's smile shrunk, crimson eyes scanning over the shaking blunette. Kyoko had made a massive miscalculation.

"H-hey! Wait, ch-chill, okay?" Kyoko started, scratching the back of her head. "I was just making a joke, okay? Break the ice and all that…"

The glare did not falter. In fact, it may have gotten sharper.

"Then why _are_ you here? Because, if you don't have something important to say, I have a paper to get a jump on," Sayaka snarled, fingers digging into the frilled sleeve of her blouse.

Kyoko twisted her mouth to the side and scratched at her chin, small tints of pink rising to her cheeks, "I was actually coming here to apologize about the other day… I… uh… I'm sorry for getting so snappy with you. I mean, with Mami and everything, I wasn't exactly in the right state of mind either. Can't imagine what it must be like for someone who's been around her these days…"

The glare gave just a bit, though one of Sayaka's hands was still clenched firmly around the threads of her denim vest. She opened her mouth, "Then what the fuck was that whole 'loitering' spiel you just blew at me?"

"Tch…" Kyoko swished, embarrassment fading to the wind, "It's called 'teasing', _Eiffle 65_. I wasn't being serious or anything, just having a good time laughing at you…"

Sayaka's eye twitched, "And I'm supposed to be happy about you laughing _at_ me?"

The redhead finally rolled her eyes, "Look, do you want your stupid apology or not?"

The blunette crossed her arms, eyes lancing out over the expansive college campus, "I just find it hard to believe you'd be apologizing so suddenly. I might not know you, but you don't feel like someone who'd do this kind of thing willingly."

"Would you believe me that Mami strong-armed me into doing this?" Kyoko sighed, "And that I agreed so I could buy a surprise for someone on the way home?"

Sayaka's stance slackened, her eyes bouncing back and forth; captivating like crystals being tossed through the air. "I… guess that sounds about right…"

A ghost of a smile reemerged on Kyoko's face, seeing the other girl relax a bit, "Yeah… She was kinda bein' thickheaded about the two of us getting along since we had that little shouting match… And I mean, I wasn't doin' anything today… not like I'm going to pass up the request of someone in the hospital…"

"If that's… what she really wants…" the blunette muttered, biting her lip. Her shoulders finally fell and she looked into Kyoko's eyes. "I'm… sorry too. I probably shouldn't have been standing in the middle of that hallway."

"Damn straight," Kyoko barked, vindicated. Before Sayaka could even usher in a counter glare, the redhead continued, "And… I should have been watching where I was walking. We're both in the wrong, we both apologized. There, no skin off either of our backs…"

The statement was matter of fact and firm, ending with Kyoko placing her fists on her hips and her chin in the air, eyes closed and dignified.

At least, it would have been dignified if Sayaka hadn't broken down laughing.

"Oh-h my God… you… are so corny… What's with that pose?" the blunette spluttered, an arm under her gut.

Kyoko craned her head to the side, smirking as her fiery plume of hair trailed over her shoulders, "What, just because I'm a pain in the ass doesn't mean I can't be _elegant_ from time to time. I thought since I was stooping myself to your level I might as well act the part."

"'Stooping' to my level?" Sayaka asked, raising an intrigued brow, "I wasn't aware having some dignity actually indicated lower status."

The redhead shrugged, "Yeah, well, you wouldn't. People only act 'prim an' proper' when they get rich; it's all for show and none of it means shit. As far as I'm concerned, hoity-toity people like that have their heads up their asses. From what Mami told me though, yours might just be loose enough to pry out."

Sayaka shuddered at the imagery, but a bemused smile seemed to counter the inadvertent tremble, "You're a real word smith, y'know that?"

"What can I say?" the girl shrugged again, "it's a gift! Pocky?" The statement was punctuated by a small red box extended from an unpocketed hand.

The blunette hesitantly reached for the outstretched confection, svelte fingers drawing a single stick from the package. She admired the chocolate stave for just a moment before looking the other girl in the eye.

Those stunning blue eyes; Kyoko swallowed as her stomach did a flipflop, seeing a brief smile behind those hypnotic orbs.

"Thank you… and really, I'm sorry about chewing at your throat… and slamming you against the wall," Sayaka sighed. "I've been… the last few weeks… hell, life in general's kinda sucked recently."

Kyoko nodded, looking away from those eyes as quickly as possible. The statement touched a chord and the blush racing to her face died before it even became a tint. The redhead shrugged and gave the blunette an understanding smile, "Preachin' to the choir there. Maybe we should form a club."

The proposition was met with another snicker from the student, knuckles pressed to rosy lips, "Maybe that's not such a bad idea."

The redhead's grin morphed into a smirk as she held out her hand, "Kyoko Sakura."

The palm that gripped her own was cool but pleasant, like rainwater on a stormy spring evening, "Sayaka. Sayaka Miki."

With a firm shake between them the two parted hands, both basking in the momentary awkwardness that was edging at their lack of conversation.

"Soo… College girl… You busy right now?" Kyoko asked, eyes switching side to side.

"Well… I have a report due in a few days, but nothing immediate, no…" Sayaka replied, not entirely sure where the other girl was going to take this.

"Well," Kyoko clapped, misshapen fang popping above her lower lip, "Let's start the first 'Life Sucks' club meeting by hitting the arcade!"

O/o\O

Suggested Listening: "Confessio", _Puella Magi Madoka Magica OST_

O/o\O

"You know, this doesn't feel like much of a club if I'm the one paying for most of these," Sayaka glared, thumb sliding off the coin slot. A thin film peeled away with the digit, making her reflexively itch the pad against her jeans. Normally she'd have reacted in disgust, but having been at the arcade for about an hour already it was a sensation she was becoming well acquainted with.

Kyoko shrugged from where she leaned, a stick of pocky dangling from her teeth, "Club protocol; rookie pays."

The student rolled her eyes, fingers tapping at a myriad of buttons on the arcade's control board as the game started up, "Didn't we literally just create it? _Together_?"

"Yeah, but I'm still your senior, so I deserve that much respect," Kyoko smirked.

Sayaka smirked back, challengingly, "If you think you're my senior, I'll start calling you an old woman; won't even wait for those red hairs to turn grey."

Kyoko popped a half-lidded eye, a half-hearted glare tearing through the space between them, "Call me old and I'll call you baby-face."

"Why not?" the blunette replied, shrugging, "You're already calling me all those other names, what's one more to the list? You, on the other hand, don't sound like you've got yourself a nickname yet, so I suppose I'll be gracious and grant you one."

"I've got plenty of nicknames… they're just ones you don't know about," Kyoko huffed, "Not like we're going to learn _everything_ about each other in a day."

Something about the sentence gave Sayaka pause, and her hesitation ended up costing her the game. As the flashing 'Game Over' title illuminated her face, she looked Kyoko over and knitted her brows, "In just a day… A week ago we were at each other's throats… how… how the hell did I wind up in an arcade paying for you…?"

The question wasn't spiteful or venomous, nor was it layered in sarcasm as her earlier lamentation had been.

"I…" Kyoko started, leaning forward and standing under her own power, "I was actually starting to wonder something like that too…" The two stood in an uncomfortable silence as Kyoko circled past the blunette, leaning on a railing overlooking the first floor of the arcade. "Maybe Mami's got a better eye than I thought… If we hadn't started on bad terms maybe we'd have hit it off like this right away…"

"Mami…" Sayaka started, pulling away from the machine to lean next to the redhead, "She's something special, I can tell you that much…"

"She really is," Kyoko smiled. The smile flexed briefly, "So… what _is_ she to you? You were pretty defensive yesterday. I mean I can't blame you, but that's not necessarily ordinary for 'just' friends…"

The blunette sighed, "How much did she tell you?"

The athlete grinned, answering as bluntly as she could manage, "That you, her and pinkie were about twenty minutes away from doin' the horizontal tango for the first time together." She grinned even harder when the normally azure girl could practically double as a tomato.

"Y-yeah… well… I mean… It's more complicated than just _that_ …" the student spluttered. She took a calming breath to compose herself and moved to respond, "There's this… guy. K-Kyosuke. He's really sweet, a-and, uh, he's this prodigy violin player. I've known him since I was young and I always thought that one day I'd be able to say those three little words to him and he'd… well… we'd get married and have a dozen children together until we were old, grey and senile." The memory for her, even if it was only imagined, was pleasant and she couldn't repress a chuckle. "Then… my best friend… besides Madoka that is… she egged me to confess and I tried, only I never realized that when Kyosuke had gone into the hospital, ever since he'd been there, I'd been hurting him. He… and I… It didn't work out and my friend got him instead… If it weren't for Mami and Madoka, I'd probably have tried wandering home from the bar and drowned in a ditch somewhere… They saved me from myself and that's where a lot of it came together for me that the two of them were something far more special to me than just friends…"

"That's what you got all worked up over? You're a real drama queen by the sounds of it…" Kyoko noted, popping open a can of orange soda and downing a swig. The blunette glared at her, but Kyoko raised a hushing hand to indicate that she wasn't finished, "I can see why it's confusing though. Got a lot of people at play there, so things are going to get more convoluted. That's why I don't have many friends; keeps things streamlined." The statement was finished when she pulled another stick of pocky from the box in her jacket and bit down hard on it.

"Are you sure that's not just because you're an asshole?" Sayaka retorted.

Kyoko huffed, her eyes amused, "I do it on purpose; easier to be an asshole than to be nice." She shoved shoulders with the blunette, "I'm puttin' in some real effort here bein' here with you and _not_ strangling you."

Sayaka laughed, but decided not to follow the tangent. Instead she reoriented her body and began to pick at her nails, sure to try and scrape out grime accumulated from the dirty arcade cabinets, "…I mean, hell, I still don't know if I'm a lesbian or if I'm just bi… I mean, I'm in love with Kyosuke, but he's the _only_ guy I've ever wanted to be with… and the more I think about it Mami and Madoka are the only girls I've ever wanted to be with too… I have no idea what's going on in my head…"

"Less your head, more your crotch there," Kyoko replied dryly, pointing a stick of pocky to the younger girl's groin. "The blood that should be pumpin' to your noggin for those decisions is goin' somewhere else. Should probably learn to get that under control."

While she chuckled, Sayaka also shoved the redhead, wincing in some minor disgust, "God, does _everything_ have to be sexual with you?"

The shorter girl shook her head, unmoved from the physical contact, "Nah, but I find that kind of stuff funny. I mean, so many people worry about _finding_ the people they love… I learned the hard way that it's holding onto them that's the hard part…"

The blunette's smiled drooped at the words, the small little anecdote hitting her with a weight that Kyoko had never spoken with before. "The hard way?" she asked, tilting her head to look at the older girl in more detail; a struggle considering the dark lighting of the arcade.

Kyoko's gaze hollowed, her face clicking back towards the jumpy arcade floor, "What has Mami told you about me? About what happened?"

"She never really went into detail… Only ever mentioned that you two broke up… Which, I mean, gotta say, when Madoka told me who you were, I was surprised someone like you was Mami's girlfriend. You two seem like on completely different levels…" Sayaka explained, tapping her chin.

"Yeah, well…" Kyoko started, rolling her shoulders, "I used to be a cute kid, or so I've been told… I also used to be a goody-two-shoes. Maybe not as good as Mami… or Momo… but I was actually really religious. That was all before my dad tried to kill the rest of our family."

Sayaka flinched, not exactly expecting the sudden tonal shift in the conversation.

"He… he what?" the blunette asked, confused.

The athlete shoved her hands in her pockets and turned around so her back was leaning against the bar, "Murder-suicide. Attempted; he didn't actually succeed, but things still got pretty bad. See, dad was a priest who didn't fit in with the parent church… so he tried setting up shop on his own. But barely anyone would listen, and while Mami was a sight for sore eyes to us, like really, she saved our sorry asses, it was a real hit when the biggest donor we had pulled their money. Never did learn why they did it, only that they apparently sent one hell of an apology to dad that made him lose it." Kyoko paused, wiggling a pocky between her lips, "I think he was trying to spare us from starving to death… but in the end he couldn't go through with it, especially when he remembered I was staying over at Mami's. That's why he cut mom and Momo down and threw out his own noose. The ambulance guys must've been miracle workers too, honestly…"

The conversation died off, with Kyoko pointedly looking away from her younger compatriot. She only turned after she heard sniffling from just below the ambient noise of the arcade.

Then she felt a rather precise fist to her shoulder.

"Goddamnit," Sayaka hicked, "Why'd y' gotta go and tell me that… Make me look like a fuckin' idiot with my problems, will you?"

Kyoko raised up her hands in defense, surprised by the violent outburst. Another set of knuckles was caught in her palm as Sayaka threw another limp punch, "Relax, relax blueberry, I wasn't trying to make you cry over it, okay? That's all years gone now, alright? By the sounds of things your crap happened _way_ more recently so I don't blame you for being a little more crazy about it." She lowered the captured fist and tried to get a beat on the crying eyes behind sunken blue bangs, "… Mami said somethin' like 'Everyone's entitled to their own marrows'… no… no, that wasn't it… 'woes'? Maybe… Huh…" The redhead paused, trying to regain her train of thought, "But that's not the point! Point is, you feel real strong about that shit, right? My shit is my shit, yours is yours; if we start trying to prove who's smells worst all we're going to do is stink up the joint, so don't worry about it, okay?"

"Jesus Christ…" Sayaka shuddered, reeling from the analogy, "You have the most disgusting sense of poetry I've ever seen!"

Kyoko glared, "Hey now, I use to be an alter girl. Keep using the lord's name in vain like that and I'll kick your ass."

Sayaka paused, biting her lip as she decoupled her hand from Kyoko's, "But, I mean… I really don't have room to talk… Wow, I really shouldn't have yelled at you in the hospital…"

"No, you shouldn't have," Kyoko grinned, "but that's behind us now, and so is all that shit that we were both talking about. So, let's play another round of Time Crisis to kick off the festivities!"

Sayaka smiled, lips reaching not her ears, but certainly her eyes, "Better idea. Wanna come hang out at my place? I've got some home consoles that _won't_ eat my wallet that I've been neglecting for the last semester. They could use some love…"

The redhead raised a surprised brow, "You know, my mom told me never to go anywhere I didn't feel safe with a stranger… 'sides, I don't think I've quite schooled you enough at DDR. We need a rematch since I'm sure that last game was a fluke…"

"There'll be snacks…~" Sayaka tacked on, voice dipping into a pleasant falsetto.

Kyoko stared her right in the eye, red matching blue for a scant moment before Sayaka was dragged forward by her wrist. Before she could blink the two were outside, rushing down the street.

"Slow down you speed demon!-Do you even know where you're going?-Damnit Kyoko listen to me!-I LIVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!"

O/o\O

"Jesus motherfucking Christ, I _know_ you're cheating!" Kyoko shouted, bashing her controller against the floor pillow.

"And you said _I_ needed to be cautious about being sacrilegious. And watch where you're slamming that controller," Sayaka replied, half laughing, half threatening with that latter statement.

"I _used_ to be an alter girl. _Used_ to be, so I'm allowed to," the redhead huffed, pointedly ignoring the scoreboard on the screen.

"That makes even _less_ sense!" Sayaka giggled, playfully throwing her hands into the air.

Kyoko rolled her eyes, "Jeez, you're almost as annoying as this one chick that kept bragging whenever her team one the soccer tournament in fifth grade. Wouldn't stop harping about how her team was better and how, when we _knew_ they were cheating, we were just lying…" The redhead trailed off, pieces of that particularly unpleasant memory coming back to her. It was only when there was a flash of blue among the images that she narrowed her eyes, "Wait a minute…"

She shot a stunned glare over to Sayaka, who was looking at her much the same way. The two pointed, and shouted, at the same time.

" _You!_ "

The duo sat, shocked mouths agape, unsure where to carry the conversation.

"Y-you kicked me in the shins!" Sayaka spluttered, fist balling.

"You deserved it for being a lying cheat! You tripped me when I was trying to steal the ball from you!" Kyoko snarled back.

"Your cleats weren't tied up right! It was your own stupidity that tripped you!"

"Like hell it was! My sister made sure they were extra tight each game _because_ she didn't want that to happen!"

Hands gripped at Kyoko's shoulders, and only then did she see how Sayaka's eyebrow was tweaking, like it wanted to tear itself off her face, a face that had morphed into a horrifyingly empty smile, "I… I got a red card for that little argument. I couldn't play in the championship match. I was the laughing stock of the team…"

Kyoko raised her own challenging brow at the blunette, gripping the girl's wrists in defiance of the taller girl's hold, "Yeah? And you think I did any better? I couldn't even afford to play after that and my soccer career here in Mitakihara had me going out as a delinquent."

"As I recall," Sayaka twitched, lowering her eyes to glare into red ones, "You were already on the district's budget team. It's already filled with delinquents; you were just one of a pack."

"Back the fuck off," Kyoko snapped, easily shoving Sayaka backwards. The mood changed. The banter, until that point, had actually been pleasant. The shouts and grapples had an underlying hint of jest, resolution to old, pointless wounds coming to a close with a mock argument. But the last line had shifted the field into a far more serious place for the former alter girl. "Don't talk shit about them; any of them! This shit is between you and me!"

Sayaka for her part didn't know how to react to the harsh outburst. She drew back and rested her hands in her lap, swallowing in uncomfortable silence as Kyoko glared at the TV.

"…Is that really what people thought of us?" Kyoko asked, her voice cracking along the words.

The blunette frowned, wringing her hands, "…Yeah. The 'Misfit Team' was pretty infamous in the league… Always losing, filled with kids who didn't behave; people knew the only reason the team existed was because they had enough kids and could somehow get enough money to pay the entry fee for the league." She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "Can't say you exactly endeared me, either. That little red card made me hate the misfits."

Kyoko drew here legs closer to herself, wrapping her body up into a ball, "…Some of them were bullies… but most of us didn't have enough money to be on a better team, or had some kind of health defect other teams wouldn't take. Everyone was there to have fun; I was the only one who played to win, which is why you pissed me off so much. I wanted to show my little sister you didn't need money to win big. Of course, rest of my team kinda tanked that idea, but I could still do something on my own."

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Sayaka asked, drawing in and hugging one of the many pillows scattered on the floor.

Kyoko nodded and wiped a few frustrated tears that had gathered on her cheeks, "I almost never get to see her, barely even talk to her, and each time she sounds so different… I just hope she's being raised right… I wanted to be there for her and I can't."

The blunette tightened the hold on the pillow, biting her lip for the right words, "…I don't know what to tell you. I've never had a sibling, so… I mean, I guess Madoka and I have been close forever, but…" Her voice dipped, uncomfortable to carry on that chain of thought, "…S-still! If your sister is even half as stubborn as you are, I think she'll be fine."

"Hah," the athlete sniffed, sleeving at her nose, "Momo's the squishiest person I've ever known… But thanks. I can only hope she managed to grow a solid backbone while we've been apart."

Quiet floated between them, more comfortable this time with the tension in the air dispelling.

"Would… do you need a hug?" Sayaka asked, looking at the slumped shoulders and the tired eyes of the other girl.

"N-no," Kyoko blushed, pulling her legs in tighter. "We just met, don't expect to get all touchy feely with me okay? It's weird enough we're talking about this kind of heavy shit right out the gate."

The student shrugged, "I mean, I was kinda thinkin' the opposite; this is the quickest I've ever gotten to know someone… It's been a quick turnaround, so why not just go all in?"

"…You're the weirdest chick I've ever met…" Kyoko huffed.

"Pot and kettle, pot and kettle," Sayaka sing-songed, smiling.

The redhead growled, "Look if you're going to hug me, just do it already, alright? Stop palyin' around."

Sayaka laughed, wasting no time in wrapping her arms around the pouty ginger. A few seconds in and the fiery girl relaxed into the hold. Her frown may not have dissipated, but the tension between them dispelled almost entirely.

"It sounds like you were a good older sister…" Sayaka mumbled, pulling away, "And I think you're going to look like an even better one when you get to tell her that you were right about that bitch at that one soccer game all those years ago…"

Kyoko blinked, face suddenly growing red for a whole new reason, "What? So you did cheat?!"

The blunette chuckled, "No, I'm all about playing fair… but she doesn't have to know that. If it means helping someone like her stay on the straight and narrow, I'll play the bad guy for you. You can tell her I 'admitted' my guilt the next time you see her and that I'm very sorry for hurting you."

The redhead stared at her, quickly punching the taller girl in the shoulder.

"Ahch! Hey! I'm helping you out here!" Sayaka pouted, rubbing her arm.

"Yeah, well, stop being nice to me! I don't like taking pity," Kyoko pouted back.

The student shook her head, "It's not pity; it's taking one for the team. Friends do that for one another."

"You think we're friends?" Kyoko asked, raising her brow.

"Of course we are. I think sharing our sob stories is like the friendship rite-of-passage," she shrugged back. "You might be an ass, but I had a lot of fun today. So I'm pretty sure that in small enough doses I can handle being your friend," she added, sticking her tongue out and winking.

Kyoko had to remind her heart to keep beating at the little silly display; a galling fact considering the backhanded compliments it included.

The redhead managed a smile, "Yeah, well… Okay… I… I guess we exchange cell numbers now? Or something?"

Sayaka nodded, digging out her phone, as did Kyoko. It was only after they finished passing over the numbers did Kyoko realize how late it actually was.

"Ah shit, I need to get to the station before they close down the trains," she explained, standing.

"Oh! I'll walk with you!" the blunette said standing.

Kyoko stumbled over a pillow on her way to the apartment entranceway, "More like running, actually, and you'll only slow me down."

"I've got longer legs!" Sayaka shot back.

"Doesn't count for shit if you don't know how to use them!" Kyoko laughed.

It took only a split second for her to get on her shoes and another to crack the door. Before she continued outside, she turned back, looking at the blunette on the wooden step. She shot the girl a toothy grin, letting her errant fang loose once more.

"I had fun today too… So I'll text ya. I promise!" With that she was out the door, shouting back, "Have a good night!"

She barely heard from behind her the taller girl shouting, "Be safe, don't get mugged!"

Kyoko laughed, maneuvering her way down the apartment's steps to the bottom floor before bolting down the street. Sayaka was a real rollercoaster to be around, but that was more than just a little invigorating. Hell, Kyoko's heart was still beating a mile a minute by the time she reached the station, winded but nowhere near drained of energy. She made a silent vow to herself to do a few laps around her neighborhood in order to blow off the excess steam when she got home. Maybe it'd give her time to sort through why she couldn't get those sparkling eyes out of her head, or that majestic smile, or those previously noted 'longer' legs.

As the train pulled into the station, Kyoko grinned, excitedly thinking of something else she could do with Sayaka sometime this week. So distracted was she that she forgot to wait for passengers to get off the train before trying to get on herself. She ended up running in to another woman, one who bounced against the open doors with a quiet 'oomph'.

Kyoko, shaking off her sense of déjà vu from the day at the hosptial, moved to apologize, only for the dark haired girl to ignore her and continue on her walk, slogging forward as though she were walking through a swamp.

The redhead shrugged, figuring that if they wanted an apology they could have asked, and let the other woman go. As frazzled as the raven girl looked, she wasn't Kyoko's concern.

When the doors finally closed, her thoughts drifted back to that silky head of blue hair and the new friend she was eager to see again soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes, one of the happier little accidents in this series, since the only reason this was made was that Kyoko needed a proper reintroduction and her friendship with Sayaka needed establishing. And from that, came all of this. I'm actually rather pleased with this particular installment, even if it's maybe a little less streamlined than previous ones. It has a lot going on, from exploring more of the fallout between Madoka/Sayaka/Mami, putting our favorite glutton into the mix, learning her past trials and tribulations, creating strain between her and Sayaka, giving her a dynamic with Madoka, finally showing a form of resolution for what happened back in Spark, and hinting at a rather massive change in the status quo that's about to go down.
> 
> I also need to make some corrections. Kindred Pyre takes place not in 2011, but in March of 2015. This again, like Kindred Pyre, takes place in March (and a little bit of April) in 2015. I actually have a full timeline available as a link on my profile, viewable as a Google Spreadsheet! :D
> 
> I honestly don't have too much else to say on this, since this is effectively a transitory chapter into the final third of Souls Beyond Time, maybe even the final fourth. We have roughly three installments left to go after this, and I can't wait to get them done… But I'm going to have to, as, as I've ruled for myself, an installment here means I must finish a chapter of my novel first.
> 
> A friendly reminder though to all the good people out there that my P-a-t-r-e-o-n is still active and I appreciate any support! Just look up CelticPheonix and you should find me. And yes I know it's misspelled. I fucked up. Sue me.
> 
> Also a reminder that commissions are open and will continue to be! I'm always eager to write more for people, so don't be afraid to shoot me a message or an email asking about fandoms, prices and concepts!
> 
> That's all for now, catch ya on the flipside!

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, this is only part one of a two-parter and the closing Author Note proper will be there as well! Part two will be up after the weekend, so keep your eyes peeled!
> 
> Also do remember that comments, criticisms and reviews are always adored and commissions are still open for anyone to enjoy! Feel free to check out my profile for details!
> 
> Catch ya on the flipside!


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